Responding to Performance
Response is part of interpretation. A performance is completed by an audience, and a performer improves through specific, respectful feedback. This page offers language and routines for responding well.
Describe before you judge
The most useful response describes what happened before it offers an opinion. “You paused after the third line and the room went quiet” is more useful than “that was good”. Description gives the performer something to work with.
| Judgement | Description |
|---|---|
| “That was boring.” | “I lost the thread in the middle section.” |
| “You were really good.” | “The change of pace at the turn made me lean in.” |
| “Your character was weird.” | “The character's voice dropped so far that I missed some words.” |
| “The ending was bad.” | “I wasn't sure the performance had ended until you walked away.” |
These are original teaching examples.
The response sentence
“I noticed ... and it made me ... .”
Example: “I noticed you slowed down before the last line, and it made me pay attention to the word ‘home’.”
The sentence works because it connects a technique to an effect. It does not tell the performer what to feel or what to change. It gives them evidence.
Questions that help
| Question | What it opens up |
|---|---|
| What did you intend here? | The performer's purpose. |
| What did you notice first? | The opening's effect. |
| Where did the energy change? | Shape and pace. |
| Could you hear every word? | Clarity and volume. |
| What stayed with you? | Memory and emphasis. |
| What would you try next? | Ownership of the next step. |
Peer response protocol
- The performer states one intention.
- The audience describes what they noticed, without judging.
- The performer asks one question.
- The audience offers one suggestion, framed as an experiment.
- The performer chooses whether to try it.
- Everyone thanks the performer.
This protocol protects the performer from a pile-on and gives the audience a clear role. It also keeps feedback focused on the text and the choices, not the person.
Receiving feedback
- Listen without interrupting.
- Ask for an example if the comment is vague.
- Separate the comment from your worth as a person.
- You do not have to accept every suggestion.
- Thank the respondent, even if you disagree.
- Choose one change to try.
| Comment | Useful response | Unhelpful response |
|---|---|---|
| “I couldn't hear the last line.” | “Thanks. I'll project more at the close.” | “You just weren't listening.” |
| “The character voice confused me.” | “Which part was unclear?” | “It was obvious.” |
| “The pause felt too long.” | “I wanted the image to land. Did it feel like a stall?” | “That's my style.” |
| “I lost the turn.” | “What would have signalled it for you?” | “The text is confusing, not me.” |
Self-reflection
Reflection is a response to your own performance. It should name a specific choice, its effect and the evidence you have.
| Weak reflection | Strong reflection |
|---|---|
| “I need to be more confident.” | “I rushed the opening. Next time I will slow the first sentence and breathe before it.” |
| “It went well.” | “The pause after the third stanza made the audience quiet. I will keep it and shorten the pause before the close.” |
| “I was nervous.” | “My hands shook, so I held the script with both hands. That steadied the paper and my voice.” |
| “I need to improve.” | “I will change one thing: lift my eyes at the end of each paragraph.” |
Audience response
An audience responds in many ways: silence, laughter, stillness, shifting, applause. These responses are information, not a verdict. A quiet audience may be absorbed; a laughing audience may be enjoying the text or the performance. Watch and adjust without panicking.
| Audience signal | Possible meaning | Response |
|---|---|---|
| Stillness and silence | Attention. | Keep the pace; do not rush. |
| Laughter | Enjoyment or recognition. | Pause; let it settle; continue. |
| Shifting and whispering | Confusion or discomfort. | Slow down; project; check the text. |
| Phones | Attention divided. | Pause; make eye contact; continue. |
| Early applause | The audience thinks it ended. | Hold; make the real ending clear. |
| No applause | Uncertainty or absorption. | Hold the final moment; do not apologise. |
Responding to a recorded performance
Recording lets you hear what the audience heard. Watch once for the whole shape, then again with a specific question. Do not watch only for mistakes.
- Watch once without pausing.
- Note one moment that worked and one that did not.
- Listen with the sound off to see the body.
- Listen without the picture to hear the voice.
- Compare the first and final recordings.
- Ask someone else what they noticed.
Activity: response carousel
- Perform a one-minute excerpt in a small group.
- Each listener writes one “I noticed ... and it made me ...” sentence.
- Pass the responses to the performer.
- The performer reads them and chooses one to act on.
- Perform again with that change.
- Discuss what changed.
Feedback is a gift with a handle. Make it specific enough for the performer to pick up and use.
Common errors
- Praise without detail. The performer learns nothing.
- Criticism without an example. The performer cannot act on it.
- Feedback about the person. It damages trust.
- Too many suggestions. The performer is overwhelmed.
- Defensiveness. The chance to learn is lost.
- Ignoring the audience. Response is part of the performance.
Next, study access and adaptation to make interpretation available to every audience. The teacher notes offer planning and differentiation advice.